Make It Count.

The following text is reposted with permission from one of my dear mentors, Jesse Elder. I think it's very relevant to current times.

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When I was 17 I was invited to dinner with my karate instructor’s family.

Over a nice meal and light conversation, his mother asked me where I would be going to college.

I responded, as I had many times, that I had decided not to go to college and would be teaching martial arts instead.

She laughed out loud, and said

“Well, I guess you don’t like money then!”

I remember feeling embarrassed, not for myself but for my instructor, whose classes had changed my life, and while not making him wealthy, added to the lifestyle that he and his wife enjoyed.

The next thought I had was that she had a point, sort of.

I hadn’t worried about the money, because

A) The only things I cared about were teaching, training and competing...

and B )

Things always seemed to work out for me,

and I trusted that if I ever needed something I didn’t have, I would figure out how to get it.

As time went on, I became less and less interested in college, or any sort of big organized education.

I once went to an SBA workshop (Small Business Administration) in the hopes that I’d “Learn Business” ??.

After an hour of sitting through the most boring, out of shape, and confusing speaker I’d ever witnessed - and two trips to the hallway to stretch and force myself to wake up - I left and went to go train.

It was true then, and it’s still true for me today...

If someone doesn’t value their body and mind,

how can I take anything else they say seriously?

Since those days, I’ve met many great teachers and leaders.

Those who have my respect - and earn my business - are the ones who are LIVING EXAMPLES of what they profess.

They are the ones loving their lives, handling their sh*t, leaning into their growth, building their visions, loving others as they love themselves, which means obviously loving themselves.

Growing up, and even well into my years as a martial arts school owner, I heard the following questions hundreds of times, and always had the following answers:

Q: “But what if something happens and you can’t teach?

A: “The only way I can’t teach is if I stop learning or if I am brain dead, which means I’m not living anyway, so I wouldn’t need a body in which case you can just pull the plug and throw a party celebrating life, mine and yours.”

Q: “What if you break your leg or lose your voice?”

A: “I have done both of those, and more, and still taught. The times I got my knee blown out, had a broken foot, collapsed lung or host of other interesting evolutionary experiences, I just taught anyway. On crutches, or sitting down, or using newfound non-verbal communication techniques. It made me much better at teaching, and I’m glad I got to have those experiences.”

Q: “What if you need something to fall back on?”

A: “I didn’t come here to fall back. I’m here to lean forward, and there’s no fear of failing when you see every failure as an upgrade and don’t take yourself too seriously.”

And on

And on

And on

The world is full of critics.

Most of whom are utterly and completely unqualified to give any advice.

Me, to the critics.

Oh, so you watched a video?

You read some books?

You took some classes?

You got some letters after your name?

You got a nice piece of paper that’s framed?

Nice.

I’m sure it feels good to have completed something that was meaningful to you.

But here’s the reality, buttercup.

THE REAL WORLD

THE NATURAL WORLD

DOES NOT RECOGNIZE

ARTIFICIAL SUCCESS.

Credentials?

Worthless, except to others who believe they are important, and who are also blinded by the lie that a piece of paper will somehow magically guard you against failure and real life learning.

Credibility is all you’ve got.

Credibility is your résumé.

Credibility is your CV.

The real tests in life don’t come from a book.

They come from adventures, personal missions and sorties in the pursuit of your dreams; your scores are reflected in how many scars you have, how many spine tingling stories you have lived, how deeply your heart has been broken, and how bravely you dared to love again.

The tests in life are how well you live in your body, and master your mind’s focus.

How lightly you step, and how freely you laugh.

The test is how well you create solutions to the puzzles you face and in how swiftly you let go of that which no longer serves you.

Your credentials are worthless, dear critics.

Show me how you live.

Show me who you are.

Show me your mind and show me your tears.

Show me your soul, by the way you treat yourself and those around you.

Your papers mean nothing to me.

I care only about how fully you are living your life, and if the music is still alive in you.

This is the real world.

This is where me and my friends live.

This is where we are going.

There’s plenty of room for everyone.

And for you, the reader....

Take a deep breath.

Feel into your heart.

And ask yourself

What life will you live today?

How will you love your life?

Who will you share it with?

What will you create?

What puzzle will you solve?

Today is the only day that’s real, you know.

I hope it’s a good one for you.